This application relates to techniques for controlling thermodynamic ordering of a system.
In thermodynamics, one fundamental property of matter is the degree of order of the matter. For a matter or a system of particles in thermodynamic equilibrium, this order is determined by the composition of the system and the constraints, such as temperature and pressure, which result in a particular thermodynamic state. One measure of this degree of order is the thermodynamic parameter called entropy. A low entropy corresponds to a high degree of order, or a low degree of chaos. Conversely, a high entropy corresponds to a low degree of order, or a high degree of chaos. For example, thermal cooling of a system, e.g., a decrease in temperature, is generally associated with an increase in order, i.e., a reduction of the entropy of the system. Non-equilibrium states of matter, including states that may not be characterized by a temperature, may also be described or characterized by entropy and other measures of order. A reduction in entropy or a related measure of order is often described as cooling, even when temperature is not well-defined.